Proficiency Test

Three days had passed. Training was over, and the day of the proficiency test had arrived.

Jiang Qiu arrived at the Training Hall early. After finding a Wooden Spear on the rack, he casually spun it through a few flourishes to test its feel. Before long, the students gradually arrived—nearly half fewer than yesterday.

When he lowered his spear and looked over, fifteen people were gathered around class monitor Wang Guanjia under the lead of a scrawny young man, chatting and laughing. Li Xueming was among them, as was a female student. Left out of the group were Jiang Qiu and another short-haired girl.

Before long, Wu Shan's towering figure appeared in the Training Hall. Without saying a word, his imposing presence silenced the room, and everyone consciously gathered around him.

"I've already explained the essentials of the First Eight Moves of the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique. Three days were enough for you to learn them," Wu Shan said heavily, his lone right eye rolling over the students' rugged heads. "According to the school's arrangements, today we'll conduct a proficiency test. I'll call your names, and you'll come up one by one to demonstrate.

"First, class monitor Wang Guanjia!"

At the sound of his name, the sharpest-looking youth stepped forward with spear in hand. His expression remained calm as he confidently took the first position.

Beneath the dome lights of the Training Hall exclusive to Class Eight, the aluminum-and-iron wall panels stood neat and square, while the two rows of wooden racks lay empty. Seventeen students stood holding Wooden Spears, their burning gazes fixed on Wang Guanjia as he danced his spear like a dragon before Wu Shan. Every one of them clenched their palms with sweat.

Hoo—

The Wooden Spear moved like an extension of his arm. As he twisted his waist and exerted force, the wind shrieked and tore. His brows flew upward; in his eyes, there was only the long spear, no man behind it.

With a crunch, the Wooden Spear came to a halt. The hearts the students had raised high also dropped with a thud, though the envy in their eyes remained unchanged. Sure enough, Wu Shan nodded. "Not bad. Wang Guanjia has been initiated into the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique for some time now. He isn't much inferior even to some outstanding students who have long received martial cultivation resources."

Hiss—

A chill ran wild between everyone's teeth and lips, and all of them wore looks of astonishment.

No wonder the class monitor's spear technique was so fierce. He had already been initiated into the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique, putting him on par with those resource-rich outstanding students from Class One.

Being initiated into the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique meant one had already comprehended Ming Jin, with the first shape of killing intent formed. On a battlefield, it would be enough to pierce some demon beasts with low defensive power!

Jiang Qiu half narrowed his eyes at Wang Guanjia as he withdrew proudly. His fingers lightly tapped the spear shaft resting in his palm, deep in thought.

Ancient Martial Spear (Initiated)

Traits: Overt Force Breaks Wind, Spear Tip Pierces Armor

40/500

"Second, Qian Cheng. Demonstrate."

With that heavy, imposing shout, the scrawny youth stepped out from the middle group of students. He nodded in greeting to the retreating class monitor, then stood still and looked toward Wu Shan.

"Begin."

At the command, Qian Cheng's expression tightened. He immediately sank into a horse stance and thrust out his long spear, displaying every move of the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique without holding anything back. His wrist turned with three parts force, and faintly, wind began to rise like magpies taking flight.

The students who followed also wielded their long spears with all their might. Their forearm muscles were taut as stones, and the shadows of their Wooden Spears smashed through the air with whooshing force. None of their momentum fell short of Qian Cheng's; no one was willing to yield to another!

"Fourteenth, Jiang Qiu."

Jiang Qiu drew in a deep breath. Holding his Wooden Spear, he strode forward with his chest out, took his place at the center of everyone's attention, and focused his gaze.

Wu Shan nodded, signaling for him to begin.

Hah!

The instant he sank into a horse stance, the head of the Wooden Spear held across both hands began to hum and tremble. An inexplicable gust swept up the corners of his clothes and strands of his hair, while an innate killing intent burst outward.

The pupils of the watching students abruptly contracted, astonishment exploding across their faces. How had Jiang Qiu, born in the Slum Area, cultivated the aura of the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique to such profound depths? Had he secretly eaten the outstanding students' martial cultivation resources?!

Even Li Xueming, who had personally sparred with Jiang Qiu, could not help but freeze. "He held back when he fought me?"

As Jiang Qiu's figure shifted with the twisting spear shaft, the whooshing sound of empty air being pierced stabbed into everyone's pupils, bringing a wave of pain. Instinctively, they turned to glance at Wang Guanjia and saw his brows sink, his gaze sharpen, and the fingers gripping his spear shaft turn pale.

Jiang Qiu's Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique was so fierce—almost not inferior to the class monitor's?

Hum.

When the final move was unleashed, the spearhead that naturally settled in his palm was still trembling. Jiang Qiu slowly exhaled the stale breath lodged in his chest. His jet-black eyes turned from left to right, only then did he realize that everyone's gazes were fixed on him. The most piercing among them belonged to Qian Cheng, whose lips were pressed tight, face pale and cold, eyelids shadowed with gloom.

Jiang Qiu merely raised a brow and glanced at Qian Cheng. At Wu Shan's expressionless signal, he stepped back into the crowd, and another student took his place.

In that order, the five boys and two girls Jiang Qiu had been paying attention to had all demonstrated their skills. As expected, those who had endured that level of training intensity possessed a more obvious advantage than the others.

To put it bluntly, although he had just restrained the sharp edge of his spearhead and only displayed the fluidity of his spear technique, one of the three slots should belong to Wang Guanjia, one to himself, and the last would go to one of those five boys and two girls.

With that thought, Jiang Qiu gathered his thoughts and secretly let out a breath of relief.

The selection was soon completed. All nineteen Class Eight students who had come to participate in the proficiency test, Jiang Qiu included, had demonstrated the results of their training.

In less than an hour, Wu Shan drafted a list of those who had passed the proficiency test. The boys and girls turned their heads toward that sheet of paper like owls, silently clenching warm fists damp with sweat.

Jiang Qiu also stared unblinkingly at the list in Wu Shan's hand, holding his breath.

"First place, Wang Guanjia."

Those six heavy words stood as steady as Mount Tai, beyond all dispute. Qian Cheng responded with a forced smile and praise. "As expected of the class monitor."

The other students also looked eagerly toward Wang Guanjia. He gave a slight tug of his lips in a smile. He was already accustomed to this, but he still enjoyed it.

Wu Shan's rolling right eye swept over the crowd surrounding Wang Guanjia, then dropped to the paper as he continued, "Second place, Hu Yeye."

Hm?

Jiang Qiu's heart sank. The palm gripping his spear shaft suddenly tightened, and when he turned his head, he indeed saw Qian Cheng smiling at a ponytailed girl with fair cheeks and crimson lips. "Sister Yeye is impressive too, as expected."

One of the two girls among the five boys and two girls, she had been born in the Outer City Commoner District, and her family background ranked among the better ones in the class. The Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique she had displayed was no weaker either. She truly qualified for a slot.

Thinking that, Jiang Qiu's brow relaxed somewhat, but it felt as though an invisible hand had seized his heart, making it pound violently.

"Third place—"

The Training Hall was silent enough for a needle to be heard falling. The faint creaking sound of palms rubbing against spear shafts, sweaty and tight, seemed to circle beside their ears. Every gaze had condensed into a needle stabbing at Wu Shan's lips, yet he abruptly stopped and raised his head toward the entrance.

The sound of footsteps came from outside. A group of middle-aged men in administrative jackets crossed the Training Hall doors at an unhurried pace. Their presence was cold and heavy as an iceberg, imposing without a word.

"Teacher Wu, you have even fewer students taking the proficiency test this year than last year?"

The bespectacled leader spoke expressionlessly, the reflection on his lenses concealing his half-lidded eyes.

Wu Shan smiled slightly. Even his wide-open lone eye relaxed as he spoke, sounding like a gentle disabled uncle. "Director Zhao, most students in the ordinary classes these days lack the right temperament. They're hard to teach."

"Mm. Looks like your proficiency test is already over. Finish reading the names."

Director Zhao, the bespectacled man, neither agreed nor disagreed. He stood to one side with his hands behind his back alongside the inspection team, quietly watching Wu Shan pick up the list again.

"Third place—"